Flushing mechanism for dry tank with built in overflow passage



Jan. 10, 1967 c. J. CLARK 3,296,629

FLUSHING MECHANISM FOR DRY TANK WITH BUILT IN OVERFLOW PASSAGE Filed July 15, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l k I 1 I I a 5 5 D 9 y Z INVENTOR.

CHARLES J. CLARK 'Wzzaq P w ATTORNEY Jan. 10, 1967 c. J. CLARK 3,296,629

FLUSHING MECHANISM FOR DRY TANK WITH BUILT IN OVERFLOW PASSAGE Filed July 13, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 INVENTOR.

CHARLES J. CLARK ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,296,629 FLUSHING MECHANli-Sh'f FOR DRY TANK WITH BUILT IN OVIZRFLOW PASSAGE Charles J. Clark, 18584 Carlwvn Drive, Castro Valley, Calif. 94546 Filed July 13, 1964. Ser. No. 381,999 3 Claims. (Cl. 4-19) The present invention relates to improvements in a flushing mechanism for dry tank with built in overflow passage, and it consists in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a flushing mechanism for dry tank with built in overflow passage that is an improvement over my copending application on a dry tank flushing mechanism, Serial No. 369,474, filed May 22, 1964. In the copending case my flushing mechanism was partly supported by the overflow pipe that extends upwardly from the bottom of the tank. Some toilet flushing tanks are manufactured with built in overflow passageways that are formed in the tank at the time it is cast. Such flushing tanks are not provided with overflow pipes and therefore the flushing mechanism disclosed in my copending case cannot be used in tanks having built in overflow passages.

In my present invention I have provided an adjustable frame for supporting the flushing mechanism. An object of my invention is to provide an adjustable frame that can be placed in the flushing tank and supported by it regardless of the size of the tank. The frame in turn carries the flushing mechanism and will position it properly in the tank so that it can be connected to the usual manually operable ha-ndle and will hold a tank outlet flap valve in open position to keep the tank drained of water. When the handle is actuated the outlet flap valve will close and the water inlet valve for the tank will open whereupon water will enter the normally empty tank. As soon as the water level in the tank reaches a predetermined point, the flushing mechanism will automatically open the tank outlet flap valve and permit the tank water to flow into the toilet bowl for flushing it. The flushing mechanism will keep the tank outlet flap valve open and the tank will remain empty of water until the next time the manually operable handle is actuated.

The entrance to the tank outlet is substantially flush with the inner surface of the bottom wall of the tank where the tank has the overflow passage cast into the rear wall and bottom of the tank. Therefore when the outlet flap valve is opened, all of the tank water will flow through the tank outlet and no water will remain in the bottom of the tank. In my copending case where a separate overflow pipe is used, a casting connects the bottom of the overflow pipe with a water outlet pipe that conveys the tank water to the toilet bowl for flushing it. This casting has a valve seat that can be closed by the flush valve. The casting spaces the valve seat above the inner surface of the tank bottom and therefore the water level in the tank will have to be at least as high as the top of the valve seat before any water will flow from the tank even when the flap valve is held in open position. There will always be a shallow layer of water in the bottom of the flush tank at all times even when the flap valve is kept open between actuations of the manually operable valve.

With my present invention the outlet flap valve is pivotally secured to the bottom wall of the tank by the same flat-headed bolt that is used for securing the flush tank to the toilet bowl. When this flap valve is opened, it will uncover the entrance to the tank outlet and since the tank outlet is substantially fiush with the inner surface of the tank bottom wall, all of the water will drain from the tank and no water will remain in it. In this way the tank ice will really be kept completely empty of water between operations of the flushing mechanism.

The flushing mechanism in my present invention is substantially the same as that disclosed in my copending case. An adjustable supporting frame for the flushing mechanism is used in the present invention. Also the outlet flap valve is pivotally mounted in the tank in a different manner from that disclosed in my copending case.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification continues. The novel features of the invention will be set forth in the appended claims.

Drawings For a better understanding of my invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through the flush tank and shows my flushing mechanism. The outlet flap valve is held in open position so that no water will remain in the tank between operations of the flushing mechanism.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 1, but shows the flushing mechanism after it has just been manually actuated. The outlet flap valve has closed by gravity and the water inlet valve has been opened for admitting water into the tank.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of FIGURE 1 with the cover of the tank removed so that the flushing mechanism will be seen.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical transverse section through FIGURE 1 and is taken along the line 4-4 of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a section through a part of the flushing mechanism shown in FIGURE 3 and is taken along the line 55 of this figure.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications may be made within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed description In carrying out my invention I make use of a flush tank for toilet bowls and this tank is indicated generally at A in FIGURES 1 to 4 inclusive. This flush tank differs from the one shown in my copending application, Serial No. 369,474, in that it has a built-in overflow passage indicated generally at B. The rear wall I of the tank is provided with an enlargement 2, see FIGURES 3 and 4 on its inner surface. The overflow passage B has its entrance opening 3 at the top of the enlargement 2 so as to receive any water in the flush tank A that rises above the entrance opening 3. The passage B then is bent so as to extend downwardly between the sides of the rear wall 1 of the tank. FIGURE 4 shows the passage bent at right angles and extending through a portion of the bottom wall 4 of the tank. The passage then communicates with a tank outlet 5 and this in turn commuicates with a passage 6 provided in the top of a toilet bowl C. I do not wish to be confined to any particular type of connection between the bottom of the flush tank A and the top of the toilet bowl C.

An outlet flap valve D is hinged at 7, see FIGURES 1 and 2 to a fork-shaped bracket 8. This bracket is adjustably secured in place by one of the flat-headed bolts 9 that secure the flush tank A to the top of the toilet bowl C. The forked portion of the bracket 8 straddles the shank of the bolt 9. The outlet flap valve B is shown in closed position in FIGURE 2 and is shown in open position in FIGURE 1. The flap valve is normally held in open position by a mechanism hereinafter described and is shown open in both FIGURES 1 and 4.

I will now describe the adjustable frame E that supports the flushing mechanism. This frame includes two laterally extending arms and 11 that have their base portions adjustably connected together by screws 12 and 13, see FIGURE 4. The base portions of the arms 10 and 11 have elongated slots registering with each other and through which the screws 12 and 13 extend.

The arms 10 and 11 have upstanding portions 10a and 11a that carry suction cups 14 and 15 respectively. These suction cups adhere to the inner surfaces of the front wall 16 of the flush tank A and the rear wall 1 of the tank. FIGURE 4 further illustrates how the upstanding portions 10a and 11a of the arms 10 and 11 are bent outwardly at an angle at points above the suction cups 14 and 15 and then are bent upwardly so as to contact with the inner surfaces of the front wall 16 and rear wall 1 of the flush tank. At the upper ends of the upstanding portions 19a and 11a are provided hooks 17 and 18. The hook 17 fits over the upper edge of the front wall 16 of the tank A while the hook 18 fits over the upper edge of the rear wall 1.

The laterally extending arms 1 and 11 are properly positioned in the tank by a longitudinally extending L- shaped arm 19, see FIGURES I and 2. The arm 19 has its inner end secured to the laterally extending arms 10 and 11 by the screw 12. The arm 19 has an upstanding portion 19a that is designed to contact with the inner surface of an end wall 20 of the flushing tank A. At the upper end of the upstanding portion 19a, there is provided a hook 21 and this hook is supported by the upper edge of the end Wall 20 of the tank A. The adjustable frame E can be made to fit flush tanks A of different Widths. The lateral arms 10 and 11 can be adjusted with respect to each other and then secured in place by the screws 12 and 13. When proper adjustment is made, the suction cups 14 and 15 will contact with the inner surfaces of the flush tank walls 16 and 17 respectively.

The adjustable frame E supports a bearing 22, see FIG- URE 1. This bearing in turn pivotally supports an S- shaped frame indicated generally at F, see FIGURE 3. The frame F has parallel arms 23 and 24 and these are interconnected by a bight 25. The bight in turn is pivotally mounted in the bearing 22.

The frame F has a third arm 26 that parallels the arm 24 and is connected thereto by a curved portion 27 of the frame. FIGURE 1 shows the end of the arm 26 bent upwardly at a slight angle at 26a. The pivoted frame F is yieldingly held in the position shown in FIGURE 1 by a chain 28 or other connecting member that is connected to the curved portion 27 at one end and has its other end connected to a coil spring 29, see FIGURE 3. The other end of the spring 29 is adjustably connected to the upstanding portion 19a of the arm 19 by means of a cotter pin 30 or other suitable fastening means. The cotter pin 30 can be placed on any one of a row of openings 31 provided in the upstanding portion 19a, see FIG- URE 4.

When the frame F is in raised position as shown in FIGURE 1, it will hold the outlet flap valve D in open position. This is accomplished by a chain 32 or other connecting medium that has one end connected to the curved portion 27 of the frame F and has its other end connected to the flap valve D. FIGURES 1 and 3 show another chain 33 connected to the free end 26a of the frame F and also connected to a wire clip 34 that is adjustably mounted on a swinging arm 35. The arm 35 has a plurality of openings 35a, see FIGURE 1 and the wire clip 34 has a bent end 34a that can enter any one of the openings 35a and thus it is positioned at a desired distance from the pivoted end of the arm 35. The wire clip 34 has a hook-shaped portion 34b to which one end of the chain 33 is attached.

FIGURE 3 illustrates the arm 35 as being mounted on a stub shaft 36 and this shaft extends through the front wall 16 of the flush tank A. An actuating handle 37 is secured to the forward end of the stub shaft 36. This 4 handle 37 is normally in the position shown in FIGURE 1 and it may be manually swung in a counter-clockwise direction into the position shown in FIGURE 2 for swinging the arm 35 upwardly and for actuating the flushing mechanism in a manner presently to be described.

The flush tank A has a water inlet pipe 38 and an inlet valve housing 39 is mounted at the upper end of this pipe. An inlet valve, not shown, is mounted in the hous ing 39 and is actuated by a valve stem 40 that projects from the housing. The valve stem is in turn connected to a lever 41 which is pivoted at 42 to the inlet valve housing 39. The other end of the lever 41 is connected by a link 43 to a second lever 44. The lever 44 is pivoted to the inlet valve housing 39 and carries a rod 45. When the rod 45 is held in the position shown in FIGURE 1, it will act on the lever 44, link 43 and lever 41 for causing the valve stem 40 to maintain the inlet valve in closed position. When the rod 45 is free to swing, as will be explained later, the water pressure in the water inlet pipe 33 will open the inlet valve and will move the stem for actuating both levers 41 and 44. The rod 45 will be swung downwardly and the water will enter the tank A through the inlet pipe 46.

I provide a ball float G, see FIGURE 5, for swinging the frame F from the position shown in FIGURE 2 toward the position shown in FIGURE 1 as water enters the flush tank A through the opened inlet valve and the water level in the tank moves upwardly. It should be noted from FIGURE 2 that when the frame F is swung into its lowered position by the chain 33 and the actuation of the handle 37, the chain 23 Will be disposed below the pivot point 25 of the frame F so that the coil spring 29 will tend to yieldingly hold the frame in its lowered position. The frame remains in this position until suflicient water enters the tank to raise the ball float G and cause it to swing the frame F in a counter-clockwise direction when looking at FIGURE 2.

The ball float G is pivotally connected to the frame F by a sector-shaped plate 47, see FIGURE 5, that in turn has a pivotal connection at 43 with the arms 23 of the frame F. FIGURE 5 shows a stem 49 that extends from the ball float G and is connected to the sector-shaped plate 47. FIGURES 3 and 5 show the end of the arm 23 bent at right angles and receiving a sleeve roller 50. The sleeve roller 50 is movable against the underside of the rod 45, see FIGURE 3, and will lift the rod for closing the Water inlet valve when the frame F is swung in a counter-clockwise direction from the position shown in FIGURE 2.

The sector-shaped plate 47 has a pair of spaced apart projections 51 and 52 that will limit the swinging movement of the ball float G with respect to the arm 23. A set screw 53 is mounted in the projection 52 and may be adjusted for altering the amount of swing that the ball float G and plate 47 can make before the ball float will start to move the frame F. For example, in FIG URE 2, the flat portion 47 is shown in a position where the projection 51 will contact with the underside of the arm 23 and permit the ball float G to drop into its lowermost position. When this happens the frame F will be in the position shown in FIGURE 2 and the flap valve D Will be closed by gravity. The incoming water entering the tank A will first lift the ball float G to swing the flat portion 47 about its pivot 48 until the set screw 53 contacts with the arm 23. Additional water entering the tank A will raise the ball float still further and cause it to swing the frame F in a counter-clockwise direction when looking at FIGURE 2. This movement will continue until the spring 29 and chain 28 can overcome the weight of the ball fioat G and associate mechanism and swing the frame F into the upwardly inclined position shown in FIGURE 1.

This movement will cause the frame F to lift the chain 32 and open the flap valve D whereupon the water Will quickly drain from the flush tank A and will flush the toilet. All of the water will drain from the tank because the tank outlet has its entrance lying flush with the inner surface of the bottom wall 4 of the tank. There is a washer 54 provided for each flat headed bolt 9 so as to prevent leakage of water from the tank through the openings that receive the bolt shanks. The outlet 5 for the tank has a washer 55 and this will prevent leakage of water from the tank when the flat valve D is closed by gravity during the flow of water into the tank.

Operation From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The flushing mechanism normally is in the position shown in FIGURE 1 with the ball float G held in a suspended position by the frame F. Also the flap valve D is held in open position by the chain 32. The frame F is yieldingly held in an upwardly inclined position by the chain 28 and the coil spring 29. The tank will remain completely empty of water between flushing operations.

When the handle 37 is manually actuated for swinging it in a counter-clockwise direction from the position shown in FIGURE 1 to that shown in FIGURE 2, the arm 35 will be swung upwardly and will pull on the chain 33 for swinging the frame F in a clockwise direction. This movement will provide suflicient slack in the chain 32 for permitting the flap valve D to close. Also the clockwise swinging of the frame F will move the sleeve roller 50 downwardly and away from the underside of the rod 45. The pressure of the water in the inlet pipe 38 is now sufficient to open the inlet valve and cause the lever 41 to swing the lever 44 and the rod 45 into a downwardly inclined position. The water will enter the tank A and will lift the ball float G in the manner already described. The upward movement of the float will swing the frame F in a counter-clockwise direction and cause the sleeve roller 50 to contact with the rod 45 when sufficient water has entered the tank A for flushing purposes.

The level of the water in the tank can be changed by adjusting the set screw 53. When the frame F is swung into the position shown in FIGURE 1, it will pull on the chain 32 to open the outlet flap valve D and permit the water in the tank to flow through the outlet 5 for flushing the toilet. The chain 28 and the coil spring 29 will hold the frame F and the ball G in the position shown in FIGURE 1 and thus the mechanism will be ready for the next operation. During the time interval between successive actuations of the flushing mechanism, all of the water in the tank will be emptied through the tank outlet 5 because the flap valve D will be kept open.

The bearing 22 has a stop 22a against which the frame P will contact when the frame has swung downwardly as shown in FIGURE 2. This stop will prevent the frame from swinging downwardly to a point where the ball float G will contact with the bottom wall 4 of the tank A.

I claim:

1. The combination with (a) a toilet flush tank having a built in overflow passage communicating with a water outlet; the water outlet having a water entrance opening lying substantially flush with the inner surface of the bottom tank wall;

(b) a water inlet pipe for said tank and communicating with a source of water under pressure;

(c) a water inlet valve for said pipe for controlling the flow of water through said pipe and entering said tank;

(d) means including a swingable rod for closing the inlet valve when the rod is swung upwardly, said means swinging the rod downwardly when the water pressure opens the valve;

(e) a flap valve for closing said water outlet for said tank and being pivotally mounted on the inner surface of the tank bottom wall;

(f) a frame disposed Within and supported by said tank;

(g) a member pivotally carried by said frame and above said flap valve and being swingable from a raised to a lowered position;

(h) a flexible connection between said member and said flap valve for holding said flap valve open when said member is in raised position;

(i) yielding means for holding said member in raised or lowered position;

(j) interconnecting means carried by said member and engaging with said rod when the member is raised, for holding the rod in raised position for keeping the inlet valve closed against the water pressure;

(k) hand-operated means for swinging said member into lowered position for permitting said flap valve to close said water outlet and for causing said interconnecting means to free said rod and permit the inlet valve to open due to water pressure and to swing said rod downwardly; and

(I) a float operatively connected to said member and raised by the water entering said tank for swinging said member into raised position and causing said interconnecting means to swing said rod upwardly and close said inlet Valve when the water level in the tank reaches a predetermined point;

(m) said member when in raised position causing said flexible connection to open said flap valve and permit water to flow from the tank and out through said water outlet.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1: and in which (a) said frame includes laterally-extending arms adjustably connected together;

(b) said arms having upwardly-extending portions with hooks at their tops adapted to be'supported by the upper edges of the front and rear walls of said tank; and

(c) a longitudinally extending arm forming a part of said frame and extending from said laterally-extending arms to an end wall of said tank and having an upwardly-extending portion with a hook at its top adapted to be supported by the upper edge of said tank end wall.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2: and in which (a) the upwardly-extending portions of said laterallyextending arms carry suction cups that contact with the inner surfaces of said tank front and rear walls to aid in supporting said frame within said tank.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 918,456 4/1909 Marcellus 4252.1 1,736,719 11/1929 Morro 457 2,690,567 10/1954 Quebbeman 467 2,744,261 5/ 1956 Gram 467 2,839,761 6/1958 Heidman 456 3,026,536 3/1962 Wood 457 3,095,577 7/1963 Clark 419 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

H. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. THE COMBINATION WITH (A) A TOILET FLUSH TANK HAVING A BUILT IN OVERFLOW PASSAGE COMMUNICATING WITH A WATER OUTLET; THE WATER OUTLET HAVING A WATER ENTRANCE OPENING LYING SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH THE INNER SURFACE OF THE BOTTOM TANK WALL; (B) A WATER INLET PIPE FOR SAID TANK AND COMMUNICATING WITH A SOURCE OF WATER UNDER PRESSURE; (C) A WATER INLET VALVE FOR SAID PIPE FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF WATER THROUGH SAID PIPE AND ENTERING SAID TANK; (D) MEANS INCLUDING A SWINGABLE ROD FOR CLOSING THE INLET VALVE WHEN THE ROD IS SWUNG UPWARDLY, SAID MEANS SWINGING THE ROD DOWNWARDLY WHEN THE WATER PRESSURE OPENS THE VALVE; (E) A FLAP VALVE FOR CLOSING SAID WATER OUTLET FOR SAID TANK AND BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE INNER SURFACE OF THE TANK BOTTOM WALL; (F) A FRAME DISPOSED WITHIN AND SUPPORTED BY SAID TANK; (G) A MEMBER PIVOTALLY CARRIED BY SAID FRAME AND ABOVE SAID FLAP VALVE AND BEING SWINGABLE FROM A RAISED TO A LOWERED POSITION; (H) A FLEXIBLE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID MEMBER AND SAID FLAP VALVE FOR HOLDING SAID FLAP VALVE OPEN WHEN SAID MEMBER IS IN RAISED POSITION; (I) YIELDING MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID MEMBER IN RAISED OR LOWERED POSITION; (J) INTERCONNECTING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID MEMBER AND ENGAGING WITH SAID ROD WHEN THE MEMBER IS RAISED, FOR HOLDING THE ROD IN RAISED POSITION FOR KEEPING THE INLET VALVE CLOSED AGAINST THE WATER PRESSURE; (K) HAND-OPERATED MEANS FOR SWINGING SAID MEMBER INTO LOWERED POSITION FOR PERMITTING SAID FLAP VALVE TO CLOSE SAID WATER OUTLET AND FOR CAUSING SAID INTERCONNECTING MEANS TO FREE SAID ROD AND PERMIT THE INLET VALVE TO OPEN DUE TO WATER PRESSURE AND TO SWING SAID ROD DOWNWARDLY; AND (L) A FLOAT OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID MEMBER AND RAISED BY THE WATER ENTERING SAID TANK FOR SWINGING SAID MEMBER INTO RAISED POSITION AND CAUSING SAID INTERCONNECTING MEANS TO SWING SAID ROD UPWARDLY AND CLOSE SAID INLET VALVE WHEN THE WATER LEVEL IN THE TANK REACHES A PREDETERMINED POINT; (M) SAID MEMBER WHEN IN RAISED POSITION CAUSING SAID FLEXIBLE CONNECTION TO OPEN SAID FLAP VALVE AND PERMIT WATER TO FLOW FROM THE TANK AND OUT THROUGH SAID WATER OUTLET. 